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Monday, April 11, 2011

Time Travel In Macleay Museum

Hi, Frieneds, did you have a nice weekend? I had!
On Sunday, we enjoyed sketching at Macleay Museum in Sydney University. It's a museum of natural history, ethnography and history.

Let's enjoy a time travel from 18th C and from a micro to macro world. Indeed, the biiiiig bones welcome you at the entrance. Manmos? No, an elephant. Ohh...huge!Regarding nature, the museum has more than half a million insect specimens in the collection. Wow...!! A wide range of collections impressed me so much. Pioneers' passion and enthusiasm for study also touched me. The display showed used devices, too.However, the Macleay Museum is often overlooked by visitors. I have to confess I did not realize it and only know Nicholson museum till today. A bit shame, the Nicholson Museum seems to to be very popular. I wonder if the Macleay museum has got enough budget to maintain the collection. I saw one insect collection being damaged. Hopefully, more public attention and a financial support will come to this historical and precious Macleay museum.

Yes, I was sketching...

In respect of ethnography, more importantly, the Macleay museum has a great collection of Aboriginal people's culture and life. An amazing number of photographs are there. So, researchers and professors still visit here for study. I had a fun in finding a historical Japanese new year greeting card and Japanese old fashioned geta(="wooden sandals") in display.

(*Can you guess what animals are they?)

But some collections in ethnography surprised me such as an ornament made of human teeth. Another historical one is human foot bones used for an educational purpose.
(*I did not sketch them all...a bit scary at night?!)

Imagine. Once upon a time, no internet, no DVD, no computer! Certainly, lecturers and scientists have used these collections for education, research and study. These influential data has contributed to the development of science, anthropology and so on, even though
today, internet and computers are taking over some part of the museum. I sincerely hope we can maintain this museum for the future.

Apart from the serious stuff above, sketching was really a fun. Very dim and dark. One friend had to "keep dancing" on a floor in order to get light. Why? A light sensor turns off every several minute. Oh, poor girl, but we giggled. Other friends said, "feel a bit headache" from too much concentration. But Friends, you know, I sketched Chinese First Emperor at NSW Art Gallery nearly in the darkness. So, the Macleay was quite kind to me.

Well, I whispered to other club members... one day... after the explosion of nuclear power plants... we may find this display....
Of course, the friends burst into laughter!!!
But Friends, this is a scientific joke. According to a biological research data, cockroaches would survive radiation exposure.
"Sadami, they don't understand literature."
"Well, after the nuclear exposure, they will achieve a miraculous evolution--get a great brain! That needs education for kids, too. Excursion for Macleay Museum."
"Hahahahaha!!!" we laughed, but...hopefully, it will never happen on homo sapience in the future.
Anyway, have a wonderful week and happy painting!!




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46 comments:

  1. You can also add the scorpions, they should also survive if I remember correctly.
    A report on the museum finely illustrated and interesting, thank you.

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  2. Lovely as usual Sadami! This was a fun and educational post, as well as creative! Enjoy your day!

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  3. Great sketches Sadami .. you have so much fun in your trips.. and I get to enjoy them too! Thank you. xx

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  4. Sadami thank you for this wondeful tour in the Macleay Museum, for your fantastic and humoristic sketches and please consider writing a book , it would be a success!

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  5. Looks like you had a wonderful time, Sadami...I love all your sketches, and the cartoon about the cockroaches is very funny, indeed!

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  6. Dear Lydie,
    Thank you for visiting the blog and pointing out, ohhh, SCORPIONs!! Hopefully, it will not happen either. The sketch club, we're chatting over visiting the Nicholson museum. Lydie, museums are not bad for sketching!
    Cheers, Sadami

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  7. Dear Dora,
    Thank you! Oh, your blog has a brilliant educational post every Thursday, even though I giggle often. You, too, enjoy your day!!
    Cheers, Sadami

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  8. Dear Pat,
    Thank you. Which museum do you recommend me to visit in England? So and too many famous museums there.
    Cheers, Sadami

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  9. Dear Jane,
    Oh, you're too kind, but thank U for a nice comment. Ah, I hope a publisher, on earth, that would accept my insufficient writing ʚ(ˆ◡ˆ)ɞ.
    Cheers, Sadami

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  10. Dear Carol,
    Thank U. Sketching in a group is quite fun. We chat, chat, chat! Have fun with friends in art activities.
    Cheers, Sadami

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  11. Oh Sadami, these are so delightful and educational. They have such depth. Marvelous!

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  12. Dear Teri,
    Thank U! But just have fun. I was a naughty girl always sketching at class rather than taking notes. And...I became an artist. Hahahaha!
    Cheers, Sadami

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  13. what wonderful sketches....looks to me that there is nothing that you can not draw and paint!

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  14. Dear Celeste,
    Oh, you're too kind to me. You, too, sketch everything. I still have so many things to learn how to draw & paint. But it's good that one heritage centre has asked me to make watercolors on displayed subjects ʚ(ˆ◡ˆ)ɞ.
    Cheers, Sadami

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  15. Lovely as always! I enjoyed every piece. Thanks for sharing :) Have a nice week.

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  16. Sadami, you had a great Sunday!
    what a great ride, I LOVE MUSEUMS!
    The building powerful, skeletons, people ...
    you captured everything beautifully described in your watercolors!!congratulate you dear! Your posts always add a lot! :))

    thanks for the reply ... my hand is improving
    and I have to buy another PC, even in April! [hopefully!]
    and knows, at the moment I would love to do yoga! I've done a few years ago and felt great, because it improves self-esteem as well!
    I'll try to fit it into my daily life and on budget ... :)

    dear friend, I appreciate too, your watercolors!
    this post about jazz musicians is incredible!
    I wonder how much they liked to see portrayed;
    So cool!

    thanks!
    and a huge huge hug \ o /

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  17. Thank you for the tour of the Macleay museum! Let's hope we don't end up on display for the cockroaches. :-(

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  18. Dear Tiffanny,
    Thanks, I know you paint still life so beautiful while creating very cute cartoons.
    Cheers, Sadami

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  19. Dear Evelyn,
    Thank U. Your photos always amaze & amuse me:). Keep up!
    Cheers, Sadami

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  20. Dear Denise,
    Thank U! Oh, you love museums! You have to take me to museums in your local area, when I see you in person.

    Denise, look after your hand very well. Yoga is a very good idea. Go for it. Hopefully, you can enjoy it with your friends who cheer you up...and it would not cost you too much. Recovery often takes a long time. Take it easy. Be kind to yourself.

    I swam 1.5km today. Regular swimmers find I walk better. So, I keep swimming even in an autumn.

    New PC! Woops, expensive, but it's a necessary evil. Find a very caring computer shop. It'll be your assets and treasure. (*This year, I bought a second PC, but found a very nice shop. They do discount and help me 7days.)

    Regarding the jazz musicians, feedback is so positive. Very happy. Thank you so much.

    Please take care. Don't work too hard. "Please yourself" & "put health first."

    Cheers, biiiig hugs,
    Sadami

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  21. such a nice post once again and wonderful sketches!
    great Sadami !
    have a fine week

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  22. Dear Judy,
    Uhahahaha!! Indeed!! Let us move on to a bright future for human begings.
    Cheers, Sadami

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  23. Dear Marty,
    Thank you so much! You, too, share wonderful photos and beautiful poems with us. Keep up!!
    Cheers, Sadami

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  24. Dear Laura,
    Thank you so much!!
    Cheers, Sadami

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  25. Sadami, is it something you can't sketch ?
    This visit seemed to be very interesting !!
    I also like to see you drawing.
    Bises ;)

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  26. Great painting Sadami and wonderful story. The museum itself is such piece of art. No wonder you wanted to paint not only inside but outside as well :)
    Thank you,
    Irina

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  27. Dear Olivia,
    Oh, you're too kind! You know I hate LANDSCAPEs. One reason why I joined the sketch club is to overcome my fear of landscapes. I think it works well. Above all, a group activities are so much fun. I still swim at a beach,1km.
    Bises ʚ(ˆ◡ˆ)ɞ, Sadami

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  28. Dear Irina,
    Thank you! I love your sensitive and beautiful watercolors. Keep up and let us cheer up each other!
    Cheers, Sadami

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  29. Your post and sketches are always wonderful...I especially love the sketch of the Macleay Museum..Great job...have a wonderful week Sadami!!

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  30. Nos has dado un maravilloyo tour por el Macleay Museum. Muchas gracias, Sadami

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  31. Dear Hilda,
    Thank you so much! You make wonderful pastel work. Let us enjoy creating something all the time.
    Cheers, Sadami

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  32. Dear Montse,
    Thank you! Your watercolor paintings are beautiful and sexy! Cool!!
    Cheers, Sadami

    >>>Montse said...
    You have given us a wonderful tour of the Macleay Museum. Thank you very much, Sadami

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  33. Dear Sadami,
    You are incredible, did you know? :) When I visit your blog I'm always impressed, how versatile artist you are. These sketches and story are fantastic. I just love your sense of humour!
    Thanks! :)

    P.S. I don't know much about animal skulls, but one of them seems to be a walrus skull. Oh, and a jaws of shark? A bit scary... ;)
    Cheers!

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  34. Dear Akwarelia,
    Thank U! You, too, your beautiful watercolors always impress me.
    BINGO! Your answers are correct!! Indeed, a bit scary. Hahaha, but it was a pretty fun to sketch in the museum.
    Cheers, Sadami

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  35. Your sketches are so lively and interesting! With few strokes you capture the essence of what's before you. Hope I'll get there one day!

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  36. Dear Teresa,
    Thank you! If you love drawing, I'm certain you'll make it happen. I'm still always learning lot.
    Best wishes, Sadami

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  37. So beautiful and interesting your sketches, Sadami! You are able to enliven also the fossils with your art! A kiss!

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  38. Dear Cristina,
    Thank U! My next door was "T.Rex." 'Gigantic' classic, but died out rock players...
    A Kiss& a wink

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  39. Oh! Sadami, I can't believe it, because last Saturday I also went to a new musueum of natural history that has just opened in Barcelona. Bust I didn't sketch anything. Yours are always so vivid! Cheers.

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  40. Dear Albert,
    Oh, did you? Sketching in a museum is fun. Your comments are always kind. Thank you.
    Cheers, Sadami

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  41. Sadami, you are a wonderful artist and I enjoy your work and sketches so much. I can always count on going to your blog and finding something to make me chuckle and/or read an interesting story of your adventures. You are living a great life!
    Sincerely, Linda

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  42. Oh, Linda, thank U so much!!
    I love your blog, too. Your work and posts always make me smile and giggle. Hope one day, I can see you in person and let's sketch together.
    Cheers, Sadami

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  43. so many nice posts, hard to choose one to comment. Your work is always inspiring, so well done and built. Regards from Brazil ;-)

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  44. Dear Fabio,
    Thank you! Enjoy staying in Brazil!
    Cheers, Sadami

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